EP0445632B1 - Violin shoulder rest - Google Patents

Abstract

The violin shoulder rest essentially comprises a support part (1), intended to rest on the shoulder of the violinist, and a rigid arm (2) fixed to the base (3) of the chin rest. The support part (1) is fixed rigidly to the arm (2) by three clamping parts, but fixed in an adjustable manner in inclination and angle with respect to the arm (2) and at a distance from the end of the violin. When these adjustments have been made, the rigid fixing of the support part (1) to the arm (2) is carried out using a single screw (25) which has no risk of untimely unscrewing. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a shoulder support for violin, which comprises in particular a support piece, intended to rest against the shoulder of the violinist, this support piece being fixed to an arm rigidly, but so as to ability to adjust, on the one hand, the inclination and angle with respect to this arm, and, on the other hand, the position along said arm, the latter itself being rigidly fixed to the base of the chin rest , which is under the violin.

A support of this type is described in US-A-4,212,222. In this case, the arm which supports the support piece has a convex cylindrical surface facing downwards. To this surface are adjusted two clamping pieces complementary to this cylindrical surface, the assembly being held by a single screw and nut. This construction leads to an awkward adjustment for the violinist, because he can only adjust the position of the support in rotation relative to the axis of the screw, only by rotating this support itself. In addition, the adjustment in rotation is independent of the other adjustments and in particular of the inclination of the support.

Another drawback of this known support is that an untimely impact on the support piece loosens the nut, which causes the adjustment to be lost and obliges the violinist to repeat this operation. However, such a shock can be impressed during the performance of a song, which is naturally completely unacceptable.

The invention aims to remedy the drawbacks of the support described in this prior document.

The invention therefore relates to a shoulder support for violin, comprising a support piece, intended to rest against the shoulder of the violinist, this support piece being fixed to an arm rigidly, but so to be able to adjust, on the one hand, the inclination and the angle with respect to this arm, and, on the other hand, the position along said arm, the latter itself being rigidly fixed at the base of the chin rest, which is located under the violin, support in which a single head screw rigidly secures the support piece to said arm in the adjusted position both along the arm and in inclination transversely to this arm, said head screw passing through a first clamping piece, said support piece, a second clamping piece and said arm, for s '' engage in a third clamping part thereby compressing between them the arm, the support piece and the first and second clamping pieces, this support being characterized in that the first and second clamping pieces have at least complementary surfaces approximately in the form of a spherical cap, respectively convex and concave, and in that the support part has an approximately ball-shaped part taken between the first and second clamping parts.

Thanks to these characteristics, it is obtained that the support can be placed in any position with a single movement, hence an adjustment operation which is particularly convenient for the user.

According to patent CH-A-277 350, another shoulder support is known which also has many drawbacks which are also found in part in the support described in the aforementioned American patent. In this case, the end of the arm with parallel edges, but of trapezoidal section is simply engaged in a dovetail entry of the base of the chin rest. If it is possible to adjust the end of the trapezoidal profile arm to the dovetail entry of the chin rest, at least at the beginning, it should not be forgotten that the shoulder support must be separate from the violin, i.e. the arm must be removed from the chin rest after each performance to allow the violin to be stored in its case, since the said arm must be replaced in the entry of the base of the chin strap for each new run. However, the repetition of these maneuvers inevitably produces wear by friction of the parts in contact which can go so far as to make the attachment of the arm to the base of the chinrest completely random. Previously, the wear in question produced a progressive play of the arm in the chin strap which generates incongruous noises during the performances, which a violinist could not allow during a concert.

Other disadvantages of this support known from patent CH-A-277 350 result from the screw intended to block the support piece in the desired inclination relative to the arm. Located between the support piece and the violin, it has the effect, by its length, of moving the support piece away from the violin. In addition, as a result of violent accidental pressure, for example between the chin rest and the support piece, the head of the screw in question may seriously damage the body of the violin. Finally, in the chosen position, the access of the head of this screw is difficult, which makes suitable blocking difficult. The adjustment of the distance between the support piece and the end of the violin is carried out using another access screw which is even more difficult.

The support described in the cited Swiss patent also has two adjustment nuts engaged on a threaded sleeve surrounding the locking screw of the inclination of the support piece. The slightest clearance of said sleeve around the locking screw, as well as insufficient tightening of the two adjusting nuts, constitute other sources of incongruous noise unacceptable to a violinist during a concert.

The adjustment of this known support thus proves to be laborious, difficult and unsatisfactory. In addition, as in the case of patent US-A-4,212,222, the screws and nuts intended to lock the support piece in the adjusted position can loosen accidentally during execution with effects which can be very unpleasant. .

Tests carried out on the support according to the invention have shown that an inclination of the support piece relative to the arm of the order of 15 °, both in the longitudinal direction, approaching the tailpiece of the violin, that in transverse direction, by moving the support piece away from the violin case in the direction of the E string gave the violinists more or less satisfaction. It is therefore recommended to immediately give these standard inclinations to the support part with respect to said arm when the complementary surfaces of the first and second clamping parts as well as the shell-shaped part of the support part are in a position corresponding to an average position, because it is from this position that the inclination of the support piece can be changed to the greatest extent in any direction, which is more than enough to meet the needs of all violinists.

The base of the chin rest, which rests under the violin, is usually connected to the chin rest proper, which rests on the violin, by two uprights. However, there are many violinists who have these two uprights in the middle of the end of the violin, either on both sides of the tailpiece button. There are however violinists who arrange the two amounts of fixing of the chin guard laterally, both to the left of the tailpiece button, that is to say on the side of the ground string. So that the support according to the invention can be used in these two cases, the head screw, which fixes the support piece to the support arm, advantageously crosses the support piece at an eccentric point, which is therefore located at unequal distances from the ends of the support piece. Relative to a position of the support piece relative to the arm of the support, which is suitable for a central chin rest, it suffices to turn the support piece 180 ° relative to the arm to make the support according to the invention also usable with a side chin rest.

In order to ensure the mentioned inclinations of the support piece with respect to the support arm, it appeared that the simplest was to vary the thickness of the second clamping piece gradually around its axis. If this somewhat complicates the machining of this clamping piece from a metal pad, it is however very easy to mold it into sufficiently hard synthetic material.

Adjustment of the position of the support piece along the support arm can be ensured very easily. It suffices, in fact, to arrange a longitudinal slot in the arm of the support so that the screw for fixing the support piece to this arm can pass through this slot. This then makes it possible to easily move this screw as well as the clamping pieces and the support piece along the arm and to fix the support piece in any position compatible with the length of the slot in the arm.

It is also very easy to prevent the screw fixing the support piece to the support arm from loosening unexpectedly. To do this, simply immobilize the rotating clamping parts. This can be done for example by fitting one of the prismatic parts of the first and second pieces into one another. clamping and providing the second and third clamping pieces with pairs of diametric pins, which engage in the longitudinal slot of the arm while immobilizing in rotation. Thus, even if the support piece is accidentally subjected to a shock which displaces its orientation relative to the arm of the support, this displacement of the support piece has no influence on its fixing screw to the arm, since this screw and the three clamping parts are secured to the arm.

It is finally possible to rigidly fix, absolutely free of any incongruous noise, the arm of the support at the base of the chin rest. For this purpose, the free end of the arm can be shaped and inserted into a dovetail entry of the base of the chin rest as in the known case, mentioned above, but by providing a certain play of the arm in the entry from the base of the chin rest and adding a screw engaged in the arm and the end of which presses against the base of the chin rest to apply strongly, in a direction perpendicular to the base of the chin rest and to the arm, the inclined faces arm against those of the dovetail entry at the base of the chin rest. This screw can be actuated directly using an appropriate tool (wrench, screwdriver). It is however preferable for the violinist, who must actuate the screw in question before and after each performance, to fix an operating tongue at the end of the screw which projects from the arm, this tongue being exactly superimposed on the arm, when the screw is fully tightened.

• la figure 1 est une vue en élévation, partiellement coupée, du support fixé à un violon, en position de service;
• la figure 2 est une vue des éléments de la figure 1 depuis la gauche de cette figure;
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective éclatée des éléments du support;
• la figure 4 est une coupe longitudinale par rapport au violon d'un détail, à plus grande échelle;
• la figure 5 est une vue en élévation d'une pièce de la figure 4;
• la figure 6 est une vue en plan de la pièce de la figure 5; et
• la figure 7 est une vue partielle en élévation du support monté, avec des parties coupées dans le sens transversal par rapport au violon.

An embodiment of the support according to the invention is shown schematically and simply by way of example in the appended drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is an elevational view, partially cut, of the support attached to a violin, in the service position;
• Figure 2 is a view of the elements of Figure 1 from the left of this figure;
• Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the support elements;
• Figure 4 is a longitudinal section relative to the violin of a detail, on a larger scale;
• Figure 5 is an elevational view of a part of Figure 4;
• Figure 6 is a plan view of the part of Figure 5; and
• Figure 7 is a partial elevational view of the mounted support, with parts cut in the transverse direction relative to the violin.

The support shown is essentially composed of a support piece 1, which is fixed in an adjustable manner to an arm 2. In service, the latter is itself fixed to the base 3 of a chin rest 4 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The part 1 occupies a transverse position relative to the body 5 of the violin. It is intended to be applied intimately against the violinist's shoulder so that the violin is held only by pinching between the chin and the violinist's shoulder, without any contribution from his left hand, which is thus completely free to jump from one position to another, along the strings of the violin.

The part 1 is composed of a base plate 6 of rigid material, preferably of steel. It could however also be made of hard synthetic material. It is furnished with a cushion 7 of more or less thick flexible material. Room 1 is narrow. Its length is close to the width of the violin. This piece 1 can be straight. Preferably, however, it is given an "S" shape, by slightly bending the ends, so that it best matches the shape of the violinist's body.

The attachment of the piece 1 to the arm 2 is shown in detail in FIGS. 4 and 7. It is produced using a screw 8 and three clamping pieces 9, 10, 11. The first clamping piece 9 has a surface 12 in the general shape of a convex spherical cap. It is housed within the part 1, between a stamped part 13 of the plate 6 and the cushion 7.

The second clamping piece 10 is housed between the arm 2 and the part 13 of the plate 6. It is shown for itself, in elevation and in plan in Figures 5 and 6. It has a cylindrical section 14 and two frustoconical sections 15a and 15b (see also Figure 7). The thickness of the section 15a varies progressively around the axis of this part 10, as shown in FIG. 4. The face 16 of the section 14 is in the general shape of a spherical cap designed so as to correspond to the surface 12 of Exhibit 9.

The tapered section 15b covers the tapered section 15a, crosses it and even encroaches on a part of the cylindrical section, as shown in FIG. 7. The thickness of the tapered section 15b also varies around the axis of the second piece of Tightening. The tapered section 15a has the effect of producing an inclination of the axis of the clamping pieces 9, 10, 11 which, relative to a perpendicular to the arm 2 is of the order of 15 ° in the direction of the tailpiece of the violin, c that is to say in the longitudinal direction. As for section 15b, it mainly has the effect of producing an inclination, also of the order of 15 °, which moves the piece 1 away from the body 5 of the violin in the direction of the E string.

The stamped part 13 of the plate 6 is in the general shape of a spherical shell. It is clamped between the surface 12 of the first clamping piece and the face 16 of the second clamping piece. Thanks to the shapes of the surface 12, of the face 16 and of the shell 13, the latter can pivot like a ball joint with respect to the first and second clamping parts 9, 10. The part 1 follows, of course , the movements of the shell 13. The amplitude of these movements is not very great. From the position shown in Figures 4 and 7, however, it is the same in all directions. It is therefore more than sufficient for the tuning needs of violinists.

The second adjustment part 10 has a prismatic opening 17, the profile of which is preferably square. This opening 17 receives a corresponding projection 18 of the first clamping piece 9, so that the first and second clamping pieces 9, 10 are rigorously integral with one another in rotation.

On its flat face 19, opposite the concave spherical face 16, the second clamping piece finally has a pair of lugs 20, diametrically opposite one another. The height of these pins 20 is approximately equal to half the thickness of the arm 2. Their width is equal to that of a longitudinal slot 21, formed in the middle of the width of the arm 2. The second clamping piece 10 has its flat face which rests against the arm 2 and the pins 20 which plunge into the slot 21. By this arrangement, the arm 2 immobilizes in rotation the first and second clamping parts 9, 10.

The third clamping piece 11 is located on the other side of the arm 2, relative to the second clamping piece 10. It also rests against the arm 2 by a flat face 22 and it also has a pair of diametrically lug 23 opposite, identical to the lugs 20. They also enter the slot 21, immobilizing the third clamping part 11 in rotation, like the other two. A part 24 of the third clamping part is also fitted into the opening 17 of the second clamping part. It appears from the arrangement described that the three clamping parts 9, 10, 11 are strictly prevented from rotating by the arm 2.

The assembly of the three clamping parts 9, 10, 11 and of the support part 1 is fixed to the arm 2 by a screw 25 with an imbus head 26. The head 26 is supported on a flange 27 of the first clamping part 9. The screw 25 passes through an opening 28 of the shell 13, a bore 29 through the projection 18 of the first clamping part 9, the opening 17 of the second clamping part and the longitudinal slot 21 of the arm 2, for finally engage in the third clamping piece 11. When the screw 25 is tightened, the shell 13 and with it the support piece 1 is strongly pinched, therefore immobilized between the first and second clamping pieces, with the inclination and the angle adjusted with respect to the arm 2. From the standard position of the support piece 1 with respect to the arm 2, which is shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the necessary adjustments of the inclination of the piece support, are of very low amplitude. It will also be noted that in the standard position described, the opening 28 of the spherical shell 13 is symmetrical with respect to the axis of the screw 25, the support piece thus being in an average position.

As only the screw 25 and the pins 20, 23 are engaged in the slot 21 of the arm 2, the three clamping parts 9, 10, 11 can obviously be moved with the support piece along this slot 21, when the screw 25 is somewhat loose. The same screw 25 thus serves to fix the support piece 1 relative to the arm 2 in the desired inclination, at the desired angle and at the desired distance from the base 3 of the chin rest 4. The screw 25 can be actuated using a prismatic rod, adapted to the shape of the recess 30 of the head 26 of screw 25, this rod being engaged through a hole 31 in cushion 7.

In practice, a violinist adjusts the position, angle and inclination of the support piece 1 once and for all. This can therefore be done at the luthier who sells the devices according to the invention. When the screw 25 has been fully tightened, it no longer risks unscrewing, even if the support piece 1 is moved as a result of an impact, since the screw is in contact only with the first and third clamping parts, which the arm 2 strictly prevents from turning.

The base 3 of the chin rest 4 came from manufacture with two arms 32, the ends of which are threaded (FIG. 3). The chinrest 4 proper also carries two similar arms 33 (FIG. 2). Tapped sleeves 34 are engaged on the corresponding threads of the arms 32 and 33 in order to strongly pinch the violin between the arm 3 of the chin rest and the chin rest 4 proper, in order to securely fix the latter to the body 5 of the violin. The arms 32, 33 and the sleeves 34 thus form a pair of uprights 35.

Many violinists play with a central chin rest, that is to say a chin rest, the uprights 35 of which are located on either side of the button 36 of tailpiece 37, as shown in FIG. 2. There are however violinists who want a side chin rest, that is to say a chin rest whose two uprights 25 are on the same side of the tailpiece towards the ground cord. In these two cases, the same support can be used. For this, the three clamping pieces 9, 10, 11, the screw 25 and the hole 31 are not in the middle of the length of the support piece 1, but eccentric. Compared to the case of the central chinrest (Figure 2), it suffices to turn the support piece by 180 ° relative to the arm 2, to make the described support usable with a lateral chinrest.

FIG. 3 represents, in exploded perspective, the parts which serve to fix the support part 1 to the arm 2. It should however be recalled that the first clamping part 9 is placed on the spherical shell 13 before fixing the cushion 7 to the plate 6 of the arm 2. FIG. 3 also shows the details of the fixing of this arm 2 to the base 3 of the chin rest 4. For this, the sides 38 of the end 39 of the arm 2 is inclined and the base 3 of the chin rest has a dovetail entry 40. The end 39 of the arm 2 is engaged with clearance in the entry 40. A screw 41 is engaged in a tapping of the end 39 of the arm 2. By pressing against the base 3 of the chin rest, this screw 41 strongly presses the sides 38 of the arm 2 against those of the inlet 40, which constitutes a rigid fixing, which produces no incongruous noise.

This attachment of the arm 2 to the base 3 of the chin rest must be actuated by the violinist before and after each performance, because to store the violin in its case, the support according to the invention must be removed. So that the violinist is not required to carry a special key or a screwdriver to actuate the screw 41 and manipulate it, a tongue 42 is fixed permanently to the end 43 of the screw 41, which projects from the arm 2. It it suffices to actuate the tongue 42 to tighten and loosen the screw 41. To further simplify this device for fixing the arm 2 to the base 3 of the chin rest, it is arranged so that the tongue 42 is exactly superimposed on the arm 2, when the screw 41 is fully tightened.

Claims (10)

1. Shoulder rest for a violin comprising a support piece (1) intended to lie against the shoulder of the violinist, such support piece being rigidly secured to an arm (2) but in a manner to enable adjusting, on the one hand, the inclination and angle relative to such arm, and, on the other hand, the position along such arm, this latter being itself rigidly secured to the base of the chin rest (4) located under the violin, for which shoulder rest a single cap screw (25) rigidly fixes the support piece (1) to said arm (2) in the position as adjusted, both along the arm and in transversal inclination to such arm, such cap screw (25) passing through a first clamping piece (9), said support piece (1), a second clamping piece (10) and said arm (2) so as to engage with a third clamping piece (11) and thereby compress together the arm, the support piece and the first and second clamping pieces (9, 10), such shoulder rest being characterized in that the first and second clamping pieces (9, 10) are provided with complementary surfaces at least approximately in the form of respectively convex and concave spherical caps, and in that the support piece (1) exhibits a portion having a form approximating a spherical shell gripped between the first and second clamping pieces (9, 10).
2. Shoulder rest according to claim 1, characterized in that the head of said cap screw (25) bears on said first support piece.
3. Shoulder rest according to claim 1, characterized in that in the concentric position of said complementary surfaces of the first and second clamping pieces (9, 10) and of the shell-formed portion of the support piece (1), this latter is inclined relative to said arm (2), on the one hand, in the longitudinal sense of the violin in approaching the tailpiece thereof and, on the other hand, in the cross sense in going away from the violin in the direction of the E-string thereof.
4. Shoulder rest according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said cap screw (25) passes through the support piece (1) at a point located at unequal distances from the ends of said support piece.
5. Shoulder rest according to claim 3, characterized in that said inclinations are on the order of 15°
6. Shoulder rest according claim 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that the thickness of the second clamping (10) varies progressively around the axis of such piece, in order to assure the inclinations of the support piece relative to said arm (2).
7. Shoulder rest according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjustment of the position of said support piece (1) along said arm (2) is assured in that said cap screw (25) passes through a longitudinal slot (21) in said arm (2) in which it, together with the clamping pieces (9, 10, 11) and said support piece (1), may occupy any position.
8. Shoulder rest according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping pieces (9, 10, 11) are blocked from rotating inasmuch as the non-circular portions (17, 18, 20, 23) of such pieces are nested, on the one hand, into one another, and, on the other hand, in a slot (21) in said arm (2).
9. Shoulder rest according to claim 8, characterized in that said non-circular portions (17, 18, 20, 23) of said clamping pieces (9, 10, 11) are obtained, on the second and third clamping pieces (10, 11), by a pair of diametral spurs (20, 23) which fit into said longitudinal slot (21) in the arm (2) so as to be blocked from rotation, and on the first and second clamping pieces (9, 10), by prismatic portions (17, 18) which nest into one another.
10. Shoulder rest according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the end (39) of said arm (2) opposite the support piece (1) has edges (38) which are parallel to one another but inclined, in that the securing of the arm to the base (3) of the chin rest (4) is assured by a screw (41) fitted into said arm (2) and the end of which bears against the bottom of said opening in the base of the chin rest in order to apply strongly the inclined faces (38) at the end of the arm against those of the dovetail opening (40) in the base of the chin rest (4) in a direction perpendicular to the base (3) of the chin rest (4) and to said arm (2).

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